Rosemary Broeren
Boarding School Project
5th Grade
Project Outcomes
Standards Alignment:
Social Studies B.4.1 – Identify and examine various sources of information that are used
for constructing an understanding of the past, such as artifacts, documents, letters, diaries,
maps, textbooks, photos, paintings, architecture, and presentations, graphs, and charts.
Social Studies E.4.6 – Give examples of group and institutional influences such as laws,
rules, and peer pressure on people, events, and culture.
Social Studies E.4.8 – Describe and distinguish among the values and beliefs of different
groups and institutions.
Language A.4.3 – Identify and summarize main ideas and key points from literature,
informational texts, and other print and non-print sources.
Language A.4.4 – Summarize key details of informational texts, connecting new
information to prior knowledge.
Project Objectives that Align with Course Objectives:
Think critically about the historic and contemporary American Indian experience.
Begin to understand the complex and dynamic nature of the relationship between Naïve
peoples and North American governments.
Interpret present day events in relation to their historical antecedents.
Learner Outcomes:
Students will use observational, synthesis, and analytical skills to analyze an historic
photo.
Students will use observational, synthesis, and analytical skills to analyze a primary
source document.
Students will read and listen to both primary and secondary source documents and
respond in oral, written, and drawing forms.
Students will read about and then compare and contrast two historical events taking
children from their homes: the orphan trains and the Indian boarding schools.
Students will make an affective statement probing their own feelings about the
experiences of Wisconsin Indian children in boarding schools.
Assessment Questions:
Assessment is embedded throughout this project, especially through responses about the
readings. Final assessment will be the letter students write to their “parents” about their
boarding school experience. There will also be a short test.
Indian Boarding School Test
True or False
1. _____Richard Henry Pratt believed that Indian children should be educated by their
familes. (F)
2. _____The Carlisle Indian Industrial School opened in 1879. (T)
3. _____Wisconsin had two Indian boarding schools. (F)
4. _____If parents refused to send their children away, they were allowed to stay home.
(F)
5. _____Many children did not know English when they arrived at school.(T)
6. _____Students learned skills that they could use when they grow up. (T)
7. _____Students were allowed to see their parents twice each year. (F)
8. _____Many life-time friendships were begun at school. (T)
9. _____There were severe punishments for trying to run away. (T)
10. _____All students had a hard time going back to the reservation when after they
graduated. (F)
Multiple Choice
11. What was not done when Indian students first arrived at the boarding school?
a.) a child’s hair was cut short
b.) native clothing was taken away
c.) a tasty treat was given
d.) each child was given a bed in the dormitory
12. Most schools were run like military camps because
a.) to teach Indian children how to follow orders
b.) to get Indian children ready to join the army
c.) marching was a good physical activity
d.) teachers liked to give orders
13. What professional sport did Jim Thorpe play?
a.) baseball
b.) basketball
c.) football
d.) soccer
Short Answer
14. What is it important to do when studying an historic photo?
15. The boarding schools changed the lives of many Indian people. But they did not
succeed in their goal of destroying Indian culture forever. Do you agree or disagree
with this statement. Tell why.